Real Estate in South Africa has relatively been very stable. The market as is now has been slow compared to a total meltdown. There is still growing potential in certain parts of the real estate market. With the interest rates low and consumer spending on the increase, leaves little room for saving and putting away money for the future. Basically your income category groups are visible and identifiable. With South Africa being a gateway for many foreign investmens and a growing economy with various interest around the globe, we easily accept any kind of investment. These investmens are not thoroughly screened for incoem sources. They have the opportunity to mingle with our politically corrupt leaders them give them free rain over our land. The glamourise our politicians with bling and that gives them the ace to bring in their dirty money and crime assetts. A very attractive but real scenario. With ports such as Durban and Cape Town where many ships enter our harbours for imports and marginally exports; there is a lack of security checks that open the gates for the influx of drugs and crime. Druglords have the upper hand when dictating terms and conditions of our laws. This directly gives effect to laundry money which flows in our economy and making noise to a undisclosed stake. They too have interest to acquire property where their money is safe, because our laws are ot very strict when it comes to taxes and etc. They monopoly housing prices which directly impacts on our markets. Often properties are not purchased because they are affordable and influences price trends. They buy property with in the end becomes crime spots for thier operations. They are strategically bought where the offenders have access to the drugs and other criminal activities. Crime hotspots alienate decent property individuals and makes the purchase power of the area to decline due to this. One can say that these influences have a direct negative influence in property markets...